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3232“Lotus In Karnataka Is In Coma”: Siddaramaiah Warns Yeddyurappahttp://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/lotus-in-karnataka-is-in-coma-siddaramaiah-warns-yeddyurappa/
http://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/lotus-in-karnataka-is-in-coma-siddaramaiah-warns-yeddyurappa/#respondMon, 26 Nov 2018 12:17:31 +0000http://pollsberry.com/?p=171Former Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah Sunday hit out at the BJP for predicting that the JDS-Congress government would fall and warned it against indulging in ‘Operation Lotus’ again, saying the the BJP was already in a state of “coma” due to its past deeds.

Siddaramaiah is the head of the Congress-JD(S) coalition co-ordination committee.

‘Operation Lotus’ is a reference to the BJP allegedly luring several opposition MLAs to defect to ensure stability of its then-government headed by B S Yeddyurappa in 2008.

“Yeddyurappa (now state BJP chief) has once again made a statement that the government would fall. Already due to several rounds of operations, the lotus (BJP symbol) in Karnataka is in coma. Now once again don’t try your hands into the wrong adventure of Operation Lotus,” he said in a tweet.

The Congress leader asserted that the BJP would remain as an opposition party in the state.

Siddaramaiah’s tweet came in response to repeated comments by Yeddyurappa and other BJP leaders expressing doubts about the continuance of the coalition government headed by H D Kumaraswamy ever since it came to power in May this year after the elections threw up a hung assembly.

‘Operation Lotus’ refers to the BJP’s strategy during Yeddyurappa’s previous tenure as the chief minister when it made several MLAs of other parties to resign and contest the elections on the party’s ticket and win to strengthen its numbers in the assembly.

Congress and JD(S) have accused the BJP of attempting to destabilise the coalition government by trying to poach their MLAs, a charge denied by the saffron party.

]]>http://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/lotus-in-karnataka-is-in-coma-siddaramaiah-warns-yeddyurappa/feed/0Bengaluru Teen Wins $400,000 Prize For Global Science Video Competitonhttp://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/bengaluru-teen-wins-400000-prize-for-global-science-video-competiton/
http://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/bengaluru-teen-wins-400000-prize-for-global-science-video-competiton/#respondMon, 26 Nov 2018 12:13:49 +0000http://pollsberry.com/?p=167Sixteen-year old Samay Godika, a city school student, will receive $400,000 in educational prizes for himself, his teacher and his school, as he emerged winner in the fourth annual “Breakthrough Junior Challenge”, a global science video competition.

The US-based Breakthrough Prize announced Mr Godika, a junior at the National Public School-Koramangala in Bengaluru, as the winner of this year’s ‘Breakthrough Junior Challenge’ for his video submitted in the life sciences category on circadian rhythms, which are physical, mental, and behavioural changes that follow a daily cycle.

Breakthrough Junior Challenge is a global science video competition designed to inspire creative thinking about fundamental concepts in the life sciences, physics, and mathematics.

“As the winner, Samay will receive $400,000 (approx Rs. 2.92 crore) in educational prizes for himself, his teacher and his school,” Breakthrough Prize said in a release posted on its website Sunday.

Samay will receive a $250,000 college scholarship while his ninth and tenth grade science teacher Pramila Menon will get $50,000 prize. Additionally,his school will receive a state-of-the-art science lab valued at $100,000.

Ms Menon had encouraged his interest in life sciences and tutored him after school to encourage his curiosity about scientific ideas.

Recognising him as a Boston native who now lives in India, Breakthrough said, Samay’s video, submitted in the life sciences category, focused on circadian rhythms, the 24-hour biological processes that can affect simple daily experiences such as waking up for school or jet lag.

Because he has family members who suffer from Parkinson’s and other neurological diseases, Samay is particularly interested in the correlation between circadian rhythms and the effectiveness of medical treatments, it added.

“Participating in and now winning the Breakthrough Junior Challenge is life-changing, thrilling and such an honor… I’m so grateful for this opportunity to be recognised alongside so many of the world’s top scientists and tech industry leaders,” Samay said.

Breakthrough Junior Challenge is a global initiative to develop and demonstrate young people’s knowledge of science and scientific principles, generate excitement in these fields and engage the imagination and interest of the public-at-large in key concepts of fundamental science, it said.

Samay Godika was among the three Indians out of the 15 finalists of the Breakthrough Junior Challenge.

Ananth Kumar’s body was taken from his Basavanagudi residence, where it was kept since yesterday morning to Jagannath Bhavan, the BJP state headquarters at Malleshwarm, in a decorated military vehicle with personnel of the three services- the Army, Navy and Air Force- accompanying it.

State BJP President BS Yeddyurappa and party’s General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Muralidhar Rao were present at the state BJP office, where a pall of gloom has descended.

Several BJP leaders including Union Minister Sadananada Gowda, R Ashoka, KS Eshwarappa, Anurag Thakur, Pralhad Joshi, and hundreds of party workers paid their last respects to the departed leader at the party office, where the body will be kept for about an hour.

Ananth Kumar’s mortal remains will then be shifted to the National College Ground, which falls in his constituency, for the public to pay homage, before the funeral at Chamarajapet crematorium in the afternoon.

The central government has announced a state funeral for Ananth Kumar.

According to sources close to the family, Ananth Kumar’s brother Nanda Kumar will perform the last rites according to Brahmin traditions.

The 59-year-old Bangalore South MP breathed his last around 2 am on Monday at the Sri Shankara Cancer Hospital and Research Centre where he was under care after returning home in October following treatment in the US and Britain.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flew in Bengaluru from Varanasi and drove straight to the residence of Ananth Kumar at Basavanagudi and paid homage to his colleague by placing a wreath on his mortal remains, yesterday night.

PM Modi consoled Ananth Kumar’s wife Tejaswini and his two daughters during his 15-minute visit.

BJP leaders and those from various political parties, relatives, family friends, party workers and people made a beeline at Ananth Kumar’s residence to pay homage to the “most-loved” Bengaluru MP, known for his affability and cordial ties with rivals.

Foraying into politics in 1987, Ananth Kumar became an Union minister in the PM Vajpayee cabinet in 1998 when he was only 38.

He remained in the inner circle of the central leadership of the BJP — be it during the heyday of Atal Bihari Vajpayee or Narendra Modi now.

He served as an important link between the central and state units of the party.

Teaming up with Mr Yeddyurappa, Ananth Kumar was among the few party leaders who could be credited for the growth of the BJP in Karnataka, bringing it to power in 2008 and making it the first saffron party government in the South.

Ananth Kumar made his parliamentary debut in 1996 from Bangalore South, where he remained unconquered till his death.

He had defeated software icon Congress’s Nandan Nilekani in the highly politically conscious constituency in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls.

]]>http://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/bjp-leaders-party-workers-offer-homage-to-ananth-kumar/feed/0In Midst Of Bengaluru Farmer Protest, Firemen’s Rescue Missionhttp://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/in-midst-of-bengaluru-farmer-protest-firemens-rescue-mission/
http://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/in-midst-of-bengaluru-farmer-protest-firemens-rescue-mission/#respondMon, 26 Nov 2018 12:05:55 +0000http://pollsberry.com/?p=160The location – Bengaluru’s Freedom Park. The occasion – an angry protest by Karnataka farmers who had gathered from around the state, demanding Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy’s presence. They wanted reassurance that promises made in support of farmers would be kept. The protestors were shouting slogans and waving their green shawls.

Into this heated atmosphere, a fire engine arrived. No, not to douse the flames of anger, or cool down tempers. The red vehicle parked under a tree and three dedicated firemen emerged.

A tall rod with a hook on the end was produced – and the firemen proceeded to prod and poke among the branches. What were they doing? Had a farmer climbed a tree to make his point? Were they simply choosing a rather odd time to trim branches near an electricity line as a favour to the electricity board?

A crow had got caught in the high branches in some plastic and had been struggling to escape. The firemen diligently wielded the hook. And after some patient effort, the bird took off in flight to caw another day. And some of us spontaneously clapped and cheered. The farmers grinned

And to the Bengaluru fire services – thank you for the humane gesture!

]]>http://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/in-midst-of-bengaluru-farmer-protest-firemens-rescue-mission/feed/0Tight Security For Kannada Actor Ambareesh’s State Funeralhttp://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/tight-security-for-kannada-actor-ambareeshs-state-funeral/
http://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/tight-security-for-kannada-actor-ambareeshs-state-funeral/#respondMon, 26 Nov 2018 12:00:41 +0000http://pollsberry.com/?p=157Security has been tightened for the state funeral of Kannada super star MH Ambareesh on Monday at the Kanteerva Studio in the city’s northwest suburb, a senior police official said.

“Elaborate security arrangements have been made for Ambareesh funeral with state honours at the Kanteerva Studio after his body is brought here in a procession from Kanteerva Stadium in the city centre,” Bengaluru Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) P Harishekaran told the media in Bengaluru.

Ambareesh, 66, died on Saturday night following a heart attack at a private hospital in the city.

“About 4,000 police personnel have been deployed at the Studio and along the 15km route from the Stadium through which the cortege will be brought in a procession,” said P Harishekaran.

Vehicular traffic has been diverted at a few junctions and restricted on main roads from the stadium for the smooth movement of the funeral procession to the studio.

“Though it is a public holiday for Kanakadasa Jayanthi, we have deployed additional personnel to regulate the peak hour traffic on the first day of the week as the route leads to National Highway 4 towards Mumbai,” added P Harishekaran.

In a related development, the glass casket with Ambareesh’s body was airlifted to the city from Mandya in an IAF helicopter and taken to the Stadium from the airport in the city’s eastern suburb under tight security for the last journey to the Studio.

The body was flown to Mandya, about 100km from Bengaluru, on Sunday evening and kept at Visvesvaraya Stadium in the town where over 2 lakh people from towns and villages in the old Mysuru region paid homage to Ambareesh all through the night.

“Over two lakh people, including women and children from towns and villages across Mandya and Mysuru districts came to the stadium and paid homage to Ambareesh,” Chief Minister HD Kumarawsamy told reporters at Mandya earlier in the day.

HD Kumaraswamy also thanked the district administration for the arrangements at the stadium and the people for their patience in paying tributes to Ambareesh in a peaceful and orderly manner braving the cold night.

“Ambareesh body was brought to Mandya in response to the demand by the local people and thousands of his fans in the region as it was difficult for all of them to travel to Bengaluru for a last glimpse of his body,” the Chief Minister said.

]]>http://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/tight-security-for-kannada-actor-ambareeshs-state-funeral/feed/0China Bars Three US Citizens From Leaving Over “Economic Crimes”http://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/china-bars-three-us-citizens-from-leaving-over-economic-crimes/
http://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/china-bars-three-us-citizens-from-leaving-over-economic-crimes/#respondMon, 26 Nov 2018 11:53:56 +0000http://pollsberry.com/?p=154China on Monday said that it has barred three reported US citizens — a woman and her two grown children — from leaving the country because they are suspected of “economic crimes”.

According to the New York Times, Chinese-born Sandra Han and her children, Cynthia and Victor Liu, were prevented from leaving the country after they arrived in June.

The children say police are preventing them from returning home to compel their father, a former executive at a Chinese state-owned bank, to return to China to face criminal charges, according to the Times.

Their mother is allegedly being held in a secret site known as a “black jail”, the Times reported.

The siblings told American officials and family associates that they were prevented from flying home despite not having been charged with a crime, the newspaper said.

China’s foreign ministry on Monday defended the decision.

“As we understand it from the relevant authorities, these people you have mentioned all have legal and valid identity documents as Chinese citizens,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang told a regular press briefing.

“They are suspected of having committed economic crimes and have been restricted from leaving China by Chinese police.”

Chinese law does not recognise dual citizenship.

While China is known to bar naturalised foreign citizens who are former Chinese nationals from leaving, it is rare that one of those being held was born in the United States.

The US State Department issued a travel advisory in January, warning its citizens about the use of “exit bans” to compel American nationals to resolve disputes or compel family members or colleagues to cooperate with Chinese authorities.

US-born Victor, 19, was set to start his second year at Georgetown University while his sister, Cynthia, 27, was heading back to work with consulting firm McKinsey & Company, according to the Times.

They have unsuccessfully tried to leave three times and have been moving between cities and living with an uncle, the paper reported.

The siblings claim they are innocent and are being used to pressure their father, Liu Changming, a wanted man in China.

A former executive at the Bank of Communications, Liu is accused of helping to carry out one of the country’s biggest bank frauds, in which $1.4 billion in illegal loans were issued to property developers.

He fled China in 2007 and his children say he is estranged from the family, cutting off ties in 2012.

The US embassy in Beijing did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

]]>http://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/china-bars-three-us-citizens-from-leaving-over-economic-crimes/feed/0Rajasthan Congress Expels 28 Rebel Leaders Ahead Of December 7 Pollshttp://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/rajasthan-congress-expels-28-rebel-leaders-ahead-of-december-7-polls/
http://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/rajasthan-congress-expels-28-rebel-leaders-ahead-of-december-7-polls/#respondMon, 26 Nov 2018 11:50:55 +0000http://pollsberry.com/?p=150The Congress on Sunday expelled its 28 leaders in Rajasthan, including nine former MLAs and an ex-Union minister, for filing nominations against the party’s official candidates.

According to a party spokesperson, the action was initiated on the direction of state Congress chief Sachin Pilot.

A no-nonsense but popular Maharashtra bureaucrat Tukaram H. Mundhe was transferred for the 12th time in his 13 years as an Indian Administrative Service officer on Thursday.

He was the Commissioner of Nashik Municipal Corporation (NMC) and has now been posted as Additional Secretary, Planning, at Mantralaya, the state government headquarters.

For the 2005-batch IAS officer hailing from a poor family in Beed, this is the fourth transfer since May 2016, but he is unfazed.

“I have good response from the people. They have a say in governance, which is participatory in nature. I thank them for their support. That is the real inspiration for me,” smiled Mr Mundhe in an informal media interaction.

About his latest transfer coming in the midst of the ongoing winter session of the legislature, he shrugged: “Every now and then, a kid has to be admitted to a new school.”

Mr Mundhe, 43, has been at loggerheads with the political class, treading on many toes in all his postings due to his no-nonsense approach to administration, but earning admiration from the masses.

He headed the NMC controlled by the Bharatiya Janata Party. Prior to that, he served as Managing Director of Pune Municipal Transport Corporation Ltd, and previously as Municipal Commissioner of the Shiv Sena-ruled Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation.

]]>http://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/maharashtra-ias-officer-transferred-again-12th-in-13-years/feed/0Cyber Crime On The Rise In Maharashtra, Most Cases Reported In Mumbaihttp://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/cyber-crime-on-the-rise-in-maharashtra-most-cases-reported-in-mumbai/
http://pollsberry.com/2018/11/26/cyber-crime-on-the-rise-in-maharashtra-most-cases-reported-in-mumbai/#respondMon, 26 Nov 2018 11:40:33 +0000http://pollsberry.com/?p=144Cyber crime has become a big challenge for police in Maharashtra with the state witnessing a rise in such cases this year as compared to 2017, according to official figures.

A total of 2,945 cases of cyber crimes were registered till September this year as against 2,645 till October 2017, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, said in a written reply in the state Assembly yesterday.

He said the maximum number of cyber crime cases were reported in Mumbai, though the figures were not specified in the written reply.

43 cyber labs have been declared as cyber police stations so far. Out of these, 36 cyber police stations are functioning and the remaining seven will be operational soon, he said.

The cyber police stations have been provided with modern software and hardware technology tools, he said, adding that since 2016, 198 police officials have been imparted training on how to deal with cyber crimes.

In September this year, principal secretary of the co-operation department held a meeting with senior officials of the police and information technology departments, and representatives of various banks in connection with the cyber crime cases, he said.

Mr Fadnavis referred to a cyber crime case where hackers had managed to siphon off over Rs. 94 crore through a malware attack on the server of Pune-based Cosmos Bank and cloning thousands of the bank’s debit cards over a period of two days in August this year.

Police in Thane district of Maharashtra have registered a case against a man after he allegedly assaulted his pregnant wife which resulted in miscarriage.

A case under IPC sections 315 (act done with intent to prevent child being born alive) and 498-A (husband or in-laws treating a woman with cruelty) was registered against Ganesh Save, the accused, and his parents, police said Saturday.

Nobody has been arrested in the case yet, police said.

The 31-year-old victim said in the complaint that after her marriage in November last year, she was facing harassment from the in-laws for dowry.

Three days ago, the woman alleged, Ganesh kicked her in the stomach despite knowing that she was pregnant.

She was taken to a hospital Friday after experiencing acute stomach pain. The doctors found that she had suffered a miscarriage, she said.